O Tragic Reunion
by Cherushii Akane
Summary: Tsukiko is a rōnin who wishes to erase herself from the world; after losing the one she loved, she doesn't wish to live any longer. But after being recruited into the Western Army, she finds that she would've missed something had she perished before now...
1. Chapter 1

Japan's Sengoku period was a time of endless bloodshed and strife, striking the land with times of immense chaos with only brief respites from the violence and greed of others. Warlords had stood up to the challenge of uniting the land with their greedy ideals first and foremost in their minds; Oda Nobunaga, with his plans of uniting the country under warrior rule, and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, with even grander goals of becoming the eventual ruler of the entire world. Given the way they conducted their goals, however, it was almost inevitable that they would both suffer violent ends.

The defeat of these two giants was the only time that the other warlords of Japan would unite and work together. Twice now, Japan has had to unite itself in order to end the destructive rule of both the Demon King and the Monkey King.

Even after their demise, however, two other warlords rose to the top to unite the country and to stop the other from rising to power; Tokugawa Ieyasu of the East, and Ishida Mitsunari of the West.

Ieyasu was a man who firmly believed in the bonds that people form between each other, regardless of how fragile and small the bond. He was the one who brought down the destructive rule of Hideyoshi, fed up with the way he mercilessly conquered everyone around him and his insatiable greed for the land. With the fall of his former lord, Ieyasu now aimed to unite the land under a banner of peace and friendship, seeking to end the destructive viciousness of the Sengoku era.

Mitsunari, on the other hand, didn't have such lofty goals. He revered Hideyoshi like a god, completing any order given to him to the very last letter. His only goal in life was to make Hideyoshi's dream a reality…until Ieyasu came in and destroyed his idol. Mitsunari now swore vengeance against his former friend, building his power and influence so that he could outmatch and brutally destroy Ieyasu, no matter the cost.

Despite the difference of their goals, both Ieyasu and Mitsunari were tearing the country literally in half, with the other warlords having no other choice than to decide which of the two to ally with. Ieyasu's friendly personality began to be the favorable option, as more and more people joined the Eastern Army in fear of the Western Army's leader. All anyone could do was place their bets and watch as the day drew closer… The day when these two giants, bent on ending the other's life, would finally clash and decide who the ultimate victor would be.

The villages around the capital of the Western territory, Osaka, were in an uproar with the latest failure of recruiting the Saika Renegades into the Western Army, and how they instead joined the East. The only people on the streets were either yelling at others and ranting about how they felt, or drunk and stumbling their way back home. Thankfully, they didn't pay much mind to the cloaked figure that rode quietly into the village towards the bar. It would be bad if they scouted me out to recruit me into either of the two opposing armies.

Without much trouble, I rode my horse to the front of the bar, dismounting and tying the reins around the hitching post before I walked inside. The atmosphere in the bar was almost worse than out; people were much more fierce and loud, probably due to the easy access of sake.

I moved through the crowded sitting areas and took a seat at the counter, making sure that my face was partially covered.

One of the bartenders saw me sit down and immediately heading my way. "Good afternoon. There anything I can get for you?", he asked me, readying a sake cup for me.

"Some water'll be fine.", I said.

He gave me a confused look. "No sake, ma'am?"

"I don't drink.", I replied.

He shrugged and put the sake cup back down, replacing it with a tea cup. "So, any reason why you hide your face?", he asked me as he poured water into the cup and placed it in front of me.

I picked it up and took a small sip. "It's easier to escape being recruited like this.", I said.

"Haha, that's true.", the bartender chuckled. "Do you claim a family name?"

"I used to.. But not anymore."

"I guess you'd rather not say, huh?"

"If I can get away without saying it, it would be best."

Behind me, I could hear people mumble about someone as he and someone else walked up to the counter and sat about a seat away from me. I glanced toward them out of the corner of my eye to see a girl around my age and a giant of a man sitting next to her. They both looked like high-ranking officers, and I could recognize the man as the well-known pirate Chōsokabe Motochika, the ruler of the island of Shikoku.

"Um, excuse me, mister bartender?", the girl asked, seeming like she didn't really belong in a place like this. "Do you know where we can find some recruits for the Western Army?"

"Do you mean warlords or just plain soldiers?", he asked.

"Mainly warlords, but if there are people ready to be soldiers, that's fine, too.", Motochika said.

"Well… I'm not sure how you'd feel about it, but.. These men are ready to fight..", the bartender said hesitantly.

The girl thought about it for a second and looked over the bar at all the drunks yelling and drinking, then shook her head. "I don't think so. Thanks anyway, though." She stood up from her stool. "Let's go, Motochika."

"Alright.", Motochika said as he stood up and followed her to the exit.

"Hey, pretty lady!", one of the rambunctious drunks called out to her.

"Where you off to in such a hurry?", another asked.

"I-I'm just leaving, is all..", she said.

"We heard you up there. You don't think we're good enough recruits?"

"Well, I just don't think Mitsunari will want people like you in his army.."

The drunk grabbed her wrist. "What, want us to show you that we're worthy?"

"Hey, let go!"

Motochika shoved the drunk away. "Don't start anything.", he growled.

I sighed, left some money on the counter to pay for the water, and walked towards the group. "You know, this type of behavior is ridiculous. Why don't you just leave?", I asked the drunks.

"Oh, great.. Another woman back talking us…", a drunk slurred.

"Back talking?" I laughed darkly. "You can only blame yourself for this." Without much room for reaction, I slung my fist hard into his face, knocking him to the ground.

"Wha-Moya!"

"She punched him out!"

"Get her!"

The whole group tried to surround me, and I could see the girl telling Motochika to help me and him ready to charge in. I grabbed my scythe on my back, slashing it around me, not to injure but to warn. "I don't need your help, pirate. You stay over there. As for you lot…" I let my scythe fall to the ground. "Come at me if you wish."

The drunks, provoked as they were, rushed at me all at once, but proved absolutely pathetic when it came to fighting. They were uncoordinated and ended up hitting each other more than me. I had them groaning and sprawled on the ground in less than 5 minutes.

"Now do me a favor and try not to be so rash next time, or it'll be much worse.", I said from the entrance.

"Whoa… That was amazing..", the blond girl said.

I adjusted my cloak around my neck, then picked my scythe up from the ground and placed it on my back. Ready to leave, I walked out of the bar and to my horse.

"Hey, wait!", the girl called out.

I stopped unhitching my horse and turned toward her."What is it? You don't need to thank me, if that's what it is.", I said.

"No, that's not it, but thank you for helping us, all the same." She smiled brightly. "I'm Chiasa Kiame, a general of the Western Army." She gestured toward Motochika. "And this is Chōsokabe Motochika. He's not a general in my army, but he's helping me all the same."

"…Tsukiko.", I said.

"Is that your family name?", Motochika asked.

"No, but I'd rather not use my family name.. Not out of shame, but of consideration."

Kiame nodded. "Understood."

I sighed. "You wish for me to join, don't you?"

"Well, Mitsunari wanted me to scope out worthy officers for his army, and what you did back there was amazing! I can tell you're more than just a ronin."

"What does it matter what I'm worth?", I asked.

"You seem like a really talented person.. Will you please join the Western Army?"

I finished untying the reins from the post and mounted my horse. "Sorry, but no thanks. I've had my fill of these overconfident warlords." I kicked my horse to a walk, hoping that she'd take that as a hint and drop it.

"Can we at least repay you by offering you a place to stay?"

I stopped the horse. I didn't understand why she was so adamant about recruiting me, but I couldn't refuse her invitation. I sighed heavily to myself and turned my horse around to face them. "Fine, I'll stay. But I'm not promising anything."

Her face lit up. "Yay! Thank you!" She turned to Motochika, almost hopping in excitement. "We got one, Motochika!"

He chuckled. "Yeah.. Good thing you're so persuasive."

"Hey, I said I wasn't promising anything!", I said.

"Oh, trust me, you'll want to join eventually!", Kiame giggled. "Now c'mon, follow us back to the main camp! We'll get you settled in."

She and Motochika started walking ahead, completely wrapped in a conversation of their own. I watched them for a moment.

"I used to be like that.. Carefree and cheerful.." I kicked my horse to a walk. "Too bad I can never have that again.."

* * *

"Oh, man… Tenkai, what should I do?"

He watched his 'lord' panic and pace around the small courtyard as they waited to talk with Ieyasu Tokugawa of the Eastern Army about allowing them to ally with him. Of course, Hideaki was ordered to by Mitsunari, so that he could eventually betray Ieyasu and make him supposedly feel the same pain he felt when he slew the Monkey King.

"The Monkey King..", he muttered. "I wish I could've shown him.. Oh, his face of shock.." He started laughing to himself, making his lord stop and look at him with a puzzled look.

"Uh, Tenkai… Are you okay?", he asked.

Tenkai looked toward the small boy, once again wondering what made him agree with working with him. Oh, yes… Because of how easy it was to toy with him and make him cry.

"It's alright, Hideaki.. I'm right here by your side." He chuckled. "We'll play along with Mitsunari's little game… for now."

"S-so I should do what he says?", Hideaki stuttered.

"Yes, for the time being.."

"Ah, Hideaki! It's good to see you!"

Hideaki almost cried out as he turned to face the great Ieyasu, a surprisingly cheerful-looking man despite his reputation of never losing a battle so far.

"O-o-o-o-oh, h-h-hi, L-l-ord Ieyasu…", Hideaki stumbled.

"Why don't you come inside? We'll discuss what you want there.", Ieyasu said.

"Uh…sure.." Hideaki turned to Tenkai, looking for guidance.

"Let's go, Hideaki.", he said, and together they followed Ieyasu into the conference room, playing out Mitsunari's little request to the letter…for the moment.


	2. Chapter 2

The Western Army main camp, which was mainly in Osaka Castle, had a dark atmosphere to it. Maybe it was from the Dark King himself, or even from losing the chance to hire the Saika Faction.. I wasn't too sure, but I noticed that when I walked by people as I stayed close to Kiame and Motochika, their eyes lit up and their expressions didn't seem so gloomy.

Kiame led me deep into the castle, and I made sure to remember how I got here in case I needed to escape.

"Are you nervous about meeting the Dark King?", Motochika asked me as we walked.

"No. In fact, I'm quite curious to see who it is that people fear joining.", I replied

"Well, he can sure put on a scary face, but I could probably take him on.", Motochika said, laughing.

"Really? Well, in that case, I believe I'll be able to as well."

"You sayin' that you're as tough as me?", Motochika asked.

"Nah..", I said, actually smiling for once. "I'm saying that I'm stronger than you."

"Oooh, really? Well, you're gonna have to prove that to me soon."

"Are you two really gonna fight to see who's tougher?", Kiame laughed.

"Yeah! This chick says that she's tougher than me, and I wanna see her prove it!", Motochika said.

"Hahaha, good luck to the both of you. I'll be cheering for you two." She stopped in front of a door and turned to look at us. "But you're not allowed to hurt or kill each other, okay?"

"I won't if he doesn't.", I said.

She nodded in approval and opened the door, leading us into what looked like a conference room, where a man and girl were discussing over a map laying on a table in the middle of the room. The man, I'm assuming Mitsunari, did fit the description of Dark King; he had extremely pale skin, very thin, had bright white hair that fell in a triangular tip over the middle of his face. He wore dark armor with the insignia 'all for one, one for all, and heaven bless the land' on his chest, with a white, open vest that was edged in dark purple.

The girl looked rather young to be in an army, much like Kiame, but looked much more solemn than the blond girl. Her hair was short around her face, reaching past her eyes and with parts framing her face. Starting at the tips of the bangs, her hair faded from indigo all the way to black before it came to the base of her ponytail that descended to her midback. Her blue eyes scanned the map along with Mitsunari's dark ones, and she stood a little shorter than him.

"Mitsunari, I've come back.", Kiame announced, making them look up from the map at us.

Mitsunari's eyes carefully examined us. "Good. Have you come back with someone?", he asked.

"Um, sorta…" She stepped to the side so that Mitsunari could see me better and placed a hand on my shoulder. "This is Tsukiko. We met her at a bar in a village near here.. She's not quite keen on joining, but she does need a place to stay.. Can we let her stay?"

"Kiame, you should know by now that we need only the most devoted to join Lord Mitsunari's army.", the girl next to Mitsunari said in somewhat of a scolding tone.

"I know, Hana, but she's a really good fighter, and maybe we could convince her to join.", Kiame said.

"Mind if I join the conversation?", I barged in, taking both of the girls by surprise. "Look, I only said I wasn't interested at the moment. That could change. Plus, I do need a place to stay, but if you won't have me, then I'd rather know now so that I can find an inn or something before it gets dark."

Mitsunari walked up to me as if he was sizing me up. His eyes locked onto my cloak. "That symbol.. Is that the Akechi bellflower?"

"And what if it is?", I asked.

Mitsunari's eyes widened in fury. "Are you part of that wretched clan?", he asked, his words brimming with anger.

"Does it matter that much to you that I am? Why don't you tell me what reasons you have for disliking us, so that I know for what reason I can be angry at you.", I said menacingly.

Mitsunari pulled an ōdachi out of the sheath that he'd been holding in his hand and held it close to my throat. "You are scum who should've been annihilated by my Lord Hideyoshi!"

I shoved his sword away by pulling my scythe from my back and pushing it away. "Looks like your lord did a crappy extermination job.", I laughed.

"Don't you dare slur Lord Hideyoshi's actions! I'll cut you down where you stand now!"

"Oh, is that so?" I lifted my scythe to where it wasn't even a foot away from him. "Fine then, come at me so I can let you join your precious, DEAD lord."

Mitsunari roared, slicing his sword at me. He was rather quicker than I expected, but I managed to block it and send him backwards. We charged each other again, meeting in a deadlock, our eyes full of anger and glaring at the other.

"Mitsunari, stop!", Kiame cried out.

"Do you expect me to let this cur live in my own camp?", Mitsunari yelled, his eyes never leaving me.

"What if she didn't even fight Hideyoshi? It's not like everyone with the Akechi name is evil!", she replied. "At least give her a chance!"

Mitsunari grit his teeth and flung himself out of the deadlock, sheathing the ōdachi back into its sheath. "If you are to stay here, there shall be no insulting Lord Hideyoshi or anyone in this camp, understood?"

"If I'm to stay in this camp, there shall be no insulting of my clan.", I said.

"Who are you to demand something of me?", Mitsunari hissed.

"I won't insult your lord or your army if you don't insult my clan. I figure it's a fair trade.", I said.

"…Fine, whatever." He walked out of the room, taking most of the tension with him.

"Few… That could've gone worse, I suppose..", Kiame sighed.

"Did you really do that, knowing she was from that clan?", the other girl asked.

"I didn't know she was from the Akechi clan.. She didn't tell us.", Kiame said.

"Your lord just proved why I'd rather not tell anyone.", I said, and briskly walked out of the room. What was the point of me staying here when probably everyone hated me just because of what family I was from?

I wasn't really paying attention to where I was walking, and I eventually found myself walking on a bridge overlooking a water channel, having no idea where I was. I sighed and sat on a nearby bench, looking over at the half-moon reflected on the water's surface.

I felt something wet on my face, and I lifted my fingers to my cheek to check if it was rain. More water fell from my face, making me realize that it was a type of rain.. A rain that only came when humans were upset about something…

I felt my lips lift into a sad smile as I remembered.. He used to be the one who'd always be there when something made me upset.. Like he knew when I was crying or needed him..

* * *

I was sitting outside in the pouring rain, my legs pressed to my chest and my arms hugging them tightly. I almost hoped that no one would come to see me crying the way I was, and to see what he did to me..

"Tsuki?"

I didn't look up. I prayed that whoever called my name would leave, never seeing me..

I felt someone kneel next to me and hold me by my shoulders.

"Tsuki! Are you alright? What's wrong?"

The sudden warmth of his body was a relief to my cold skin. I lifted my arms and wrapped them tightly around the man's neck, seeking his warmth to brighten my world. "Mi….hi…", I muttered through my sobbing.

"Hey, hey, it's okay. I'm right here.", he said, tightening his embrace around me. After a minute, he held me out by the shoulders again. "Now, tell me what's wrong."

I finally lifted my gaze to meet his kind, barely blue eyes. "I… Notsuna, he…"

"What? What did he do?"

I lifted my shaky hand to move my hair from my face and neck, and his eyes widened as he saw the giant bruises that ran down my neck and face.

"He did this to you?", he almost yelled.

I nodded, barely able to speak. I felt so alone, scared.. I couldn't hide it from anyone anymore.. Someone had to know..

I suddenly felt him lift me into his arms. "What are…you doing?", I asked.

He placed me on what felt like a bench, and I noticed the rain wasn't falling on me anymore. "Stay here for a minute, okay?"

"What're you…gonna do..?", I whispered.

"I'm going to say how I truly feel about this.", he said.

"No, you can't… I..-" He silenced my words with a gentle kiss.

"Don't worry. We'll handle whatever comes together." He kissed my forehead. "Just rest, alright? He hurt you pretty badly."

I nodded. "Don't…get yourself in…trouble now.."

He chuckled softly. "I'm not gonna kill him or anything.. Just show him how painful it is to suffer the way you have." With that, he stood and headed into the elaborate house that, according to my parents' wishes, was to be my new home…but, in my eyes, became an almost hell on earth that I was just rescued from by him… By…

* * *

"There you are!"

I snapped out of my reminiscing and hurriedly wiped the tears on my face away, putting on a neutral expression and looking out at the water again.

"So this is where you were.."

I looked toward who was talking to see Kiame, gasping for air as if she'd been running. "Were you…looking for me?", I asked.

"Yeah! I was really worried about you… So were Motochika and Hana, so we split up looking for you." She sat down next to me, letting out a tired sigh. "But I'm glad that you didn't leave."

"…I got lost.", I said.

"Really?", she laughed. "Yeah, it is pretty easy to get lost in here.. Took me forever to remember how to get through it all.."

"Kiame! Did you find her?", someone yelled on the other side of the courtyard.

"Yeah, Hana! I found her!", Kiame yelled back, waving the person over.

Hana came over to us, sitting next to Kiame. "Well, I'm glad we didn't lose her… Akechi or not, we would've just lost a potential ally.." She looked over to me. "You seem like an excellent samurai.. You didn't even flinch at Lord Mitsunari's threats.

I laughed. "Well, I've spent these past few years on my own, so I guess I've toughened up a lot."

"Why've you been alone?", Kiame asked.

"Well… At first, I was looking for someone, but… then I heard that he was killed, so I've spent the rest of the past years just wandering.. I guess you can say I was looking for a reason for my existence.."

"Was he that special to you?", Hana asked, seeming a bit more interested now.

"Yeah.. But it doesn't matter now."

"But it does matter! Who was he?", Kiame persisted.

I lowered my gaze to where my hands sat on my lap. "He…was my lord husband.."

"Husband?", Hana asked.

"Aw, you were looking for him?", Kiame asked.

"Yeah… But he's dead now, so there's nothing else for it..", I said.

"How did he die?", Hana asked.

"He was killed at Yamazaki… By Hideyoshi."

Hana and Kiame's eyes widened, finally understanding why Mitsunari and I had such a rough first greeting.

I stood up and stretched. "But don't let that bother. It's got nothing to do with you two. Now, do you mind showing me where a room is? It's getting late, and I'm really tired.."

"Oh, sure.. Follow me.", Hana said, standing up along with Kiame.

"Yeah, but make sure she doesn't lead you to Mitsunari's room by accident!", Kiame said.

"Why would I do that?", Hana exclaimed.

"You know you sneak to his room to look out for him, 'cause you LIKE him!", Kiame laughed.

"I do not! Stop saying that, or people are really gonna believe something that ISN'T true!", Hana exclaimed.

I laughed. "You are making it seem that way, though."

"Hahaha, see? Even she agrees!", Kiame said.

"Oh, you both hush..", Hana mumbled angrily, and Kiame and I continued to tease her as we walked through Osaka Castle. I took this chance of happiness and made it last as long as it could.. I didn't know when I would ever be this happy again..

I wished that I could see him again... Hold him close, tell him about everything that I've done, listen to his stories..

Why was fate so twisted and cruel?

* * *

Tenkai was finally able to walk outside alone, now that Hideaki was fast asleep. He did enjoy toying with the kid, but he did need occasional breaks.. He felt like he might go even more insane than he was if he stayed around him too long.

The half-moon was bright and extravagant tonight, and he gazed up at it lovingly.

"Oh, how you remind me of someone… She really was a child of the moon, as her name depicted her.." He felt a single tear roll down his cheek and over the mask that covered his mouth and nose. He reached up and touched where it had rolled down, then began to laugh until he could barely breathe.

"That's a sick joke… The last time I checked, I had nothing to cry for.." He lifted his arms to the sky. "That wretch took everything away from me… And that's why… That's why I must fight him again… To make him grovel in pain all over again, to make him feel the same misery I did!"

The moon watched as he lost himself in insanity, crying from what he had lost, yet laughing at the same time at what pain he would bring to the one who stole everything from him.


	3. Chapter 3

The next day, Osaka was still abuzz with the disappointment of how few officers the Western Army had compared to the East, although everyone shut their mouths if Mitsunari happened to walk nearby them. I think he could sense it, though.. Even though he's almost always angry, today he seemed almost angrier than when I provoked him yesterday. He must be feeling the pressure of Ieyasu's massive army, and it must irk him that people join the Eastern Army more quickly than his own.

It was mid-morning, and I was in the stables tending to my horse. The stable hands offered to take care of him for me, but I told them that I could do it. I was surprised that they wanted to help me as much as they did, since I was part of the Akechi clan, and they were part of the Toyotomi.. It gave me a bit of hope of being able to stay here…

My hand froze in the middle of brushing my horse's coat. Did that thought really cross my mind? Did I really think I could stay here…?

"I'm such an idiot…", I whispered to myself.

"Why do you say that?"

I jumped at the sudden voice, making my horse fidget and nicker nervously. I rubbed along his neck to calm him down a bit, then turned to see Kiame outside of the stall with an apologetic face.

"Sorry… I didn't mean to scare you two.."

I sighed. "It's alright." I patted the horse's neck to make him relax. "Is there a reason why you wanted to see me?"

"Not particularly..", she said, stretching her arms over her head. "I was looking for you, then I heard you say that, so I wanted to know what was wrong."

"Say what?", I asked.

"That you were an idiot. Why'd you say that?"

I picked the brush up that I dropped when she scared me and continued brushing my horse's coat. "No reason, really. Just thought something stupid.."

"What?"

"It's nothing.. It wouldn't matter."

She sighed. "Alright… But I want you to know that you can tell me anything that's on your mind. I won't judge, and I'll help you in whatever way I can."

I looked toward her. "Why are you so willing to help me? I'm basically a total stranger to you.. Shouldn't you say things like that to only your friends?"

She shook her head. "Nah.. I'm weird and love everybody." She winked at me. "Doesn't mean I have to like them. I just trust people a lot easier, is all."

I laughed. "I don't get how you do it. I've always had trust issues with people, and it's only gotten worse as the years have gone by."

"That's just the person that you are. It's good to be that way, in a sense. You're the type of person that wants to know a lot about a person before you actually become friends with them." She laughed. "Mitsunari tells me I should be more like that, but I can't help myself… I just can't shut people off like that until they give me a reason to do so.."

"It's a good quality."

"Huh?"

"I think it's a good thing that you trust others so much.. You're more friendly, and people are sure to like you.. People like me aren't liked a whole lot by others."

"Only because you choose to distance yourself from others."

"True, I suppose."

"Why is that?", she asked.

"I've always been that way.. The one person who I considered a friend had to come to me… I feel bad for it, but I'm also glad that he did."

Her smile widened. "You're smiling."

"H-huh?"

"You were smiling. You should do it more often. You're too pretty to be frowning as much as you do."

"Um… Thank you..", I said, my face hot.

"I'm glad I found you two together."

Kiame and I looked toward the entrance into the stables to see Mitsunari walking towards us, Hana at his side.

"Mitsunari! There something you need from us?", Kiame asked.

"Actually, yes.", Mitsunari asked. "I want you two to go and scout any more worthy officers to join the Western Army."

"You want me to go, too?", I asked.

"Yes. It'll be easier if two of you go instead of just one.", he replied.

"Lord Mitsunari wants you two back before the day ends.", Hana said.

"So before midnight, or before sunset?", Kiame asked.

Hana sighed. "Do I really have to answer that?"

"Nope! Just teasing you!", Kiame laughed.

"Ugh…"

"I would like you two back before sunset.", Mitsunari said.

Kiame nodded. "Alright! We'll head out now so that we have as much time as possible to search."

Mitsunari nodded. "I'm hoping you'll bring back at least someone." He turned to walk away, but then fixed his gaze back on me. "Protect her. I don't care how, just make sure that she is safe and unharmed."

"Um… Sure.", I said, unsure of how else I would respond to that request.

"Alright. I'll leave you two to it, then." Mitsunari turned and headed out of the stables.

"I hope you guys bring someone back.", Hana said.

"We will! Don't worry, we'll make sure to have at least one person!", Kiame said cheerfully.

Hana only nodded and smiled lightly, as if not wanting to put too much hope in our mission, but enough to not seem doubtful. She turned and headed after Mitsunari.

"Is Hana Mitsunari's personal aide or something?", I asked.

"Something like that..", Kiame said. "She and I are particularly close to Mitsunari.."

"How so, if I may ask?"

"Well, Mitsunari took me in after finding me in a…slave market, you can say."

"Oh.. I'm sorry…"

She shook her head and smiled. "It's all over with, and he saved me from it, so it's all good."

"Was Hana with you?"

"No.. She came up shortly after I did. Hideyoshi raided her village and she and a couple of others were the only survivors, so he took them prisoner. I was in charge of watching them, so I was able to talk with them and then convince Mitsunari and the others to let them out if they joined the Western Army." She laughed. "Hana was the most ambitious of them all. She was a bit stern at first, demanding that I call her by her complete name, Yamino Yoruhana. As time went on, though, she gradually changed and let me call her Yoruhana and, finally, Hana. So now, aside from his strategist Yoshitsugu, Hana and I are his closest generals; he trusts us the most, and would probably be completely destroyed if even one of us betrayed him.."

I looked to the exit where Mitsunari and Hana had left out of. "Wow… I would never think of that from someone like him…"

"Yeah, people have a hard time understanding why he's like he is.. But he really is nice! He's not mean all the time!"

"I believe you… It's just hard to believe sometimes…", I said.

She didn't say anything for a while, a sad air settling around her. She lifted her head suddenly, a giant grin on her face. "Alright, let's go and find some recruits!", she exclaimed, grabbing my arm and heading out of the stables.

"Wait.. Don't you think we should take horses?", I asked.

"What? Afraid of a little walking?", Kiame laughed.

"No, but..", I started.

"What're you two doing?"

Kiame finally stopped and we both looked to see who spoke. Motochika was leaning on one of the posts of the stable, and by the expression on his face we were quite the amusing act.

"We're about to go look for recruits!", Kiame exclaimed, still holding tightly onto my arm.

"The two of you? Why Tsukiko?", Motochika asked.

"Mitsunari told me to protect her..", I said.

"Ah.. Well, I just came by to tell you that I'm heading back to Shikoku. Gotta head back and see how it's going back at home."

"What?", Kiame asked.

Motochika shrugged. "Sorry.. I'll be back in a few days, though. I just want to see how my island's doing."

"Let us go with you!", Kiame said.

"What? Kiame, you realize what you're asking, right?", I asked her.

"Oh, I can be gone for a couple of days… Mitsunari won't be too worried about me!" She turned back to Motochika. "Please let us come with you!"

Motochika hesitated. "I dunno… We could be long for who knows how long… And if Mitsunari finds out.."

"Don't worry! I'll make sure that he doesn't get angry with you!"

"…Alright.. But no complaining, alright?", Motochika said jokingly.

"Of course! We won't complain, right Tsuki?"

"….Yeah… We won't..", I said, feeling completely defeated.

"Alright, let's head out!", she yelled.

I couldn't believe that she was doing this.. Going to Shikoku without telling Mitsunari, who not only held her close but I knew would kill me AND Motochika if anything happened to her.. So why was she going to Motochika's island without telling him? Then again.. I was disobedient like that, too… Heck, my parents disowned me because I wouldn't marry who they wanted me to marry.

I shook my head. Why was I thinking about the past…again? It was starting to get unhealthy, how often I was thinking about it.. Was it a sign?

I didn't know, but I hopped on this weird ride, regardless if I wanted to or not.. Might as well stick to it all the way through..

Could I have expected what happened, and if so, could I have stopped it..?

* * *

Motochika lead us to the sea port in Osaka and we boarded his 'pirate' ship. I'll admit, the thing was huge, over half the size of Osaka Castle. Motochika seemed somewhat different once we set foot on the ship; he was a lot louder and confident, almost like he was stronger when he was here instead of on land.

Of course at first I was hesitant to greet the others on the ship, while Kiame greeted them happily and quickly befriended most, if not all, of them. I told myself that I would be with them for a while, so I resigned myself to at least carrying on a conversation when one of them came up and started one.

We eventually started our voyage to Shikoku, and Kiame seemed to get more and more excited as well as nervous the further away we got from Osaka. She was all over the place, asking people what Shikoku was like, what being a pirate was like, etc. I just watched her, almost laughing out loud.. She looked so much like a kid on a field trip to the capital or something.

I, on the other hand, kept to myself most of the time; the only time I was around the others was during meals and when Kiame and Motochika tracked me down and forced me to join them.

It had been a while since we set sail. The sun was starting to sink behind the horizon, bathing the water and sky in oranges, pinks, and purples.

I stood on the dock, leaning over the side of the ship and watching the ocean as it moved.

What was I thinking? What was I doing on this ship? I had no place here… I wasn't needed anywhere.. I'm sure by now my parents have found some other heir to force their will on.. He was lost to me, never to return again.. What reason did I have to go on? What purpose was there for me to be here, heading to Shikoku with Kiame and Motochika?

I looked straight down at the waves crashing against the boat. Should I just end it here, since I have no reason to stay? I would at least joined the one person who truly loved me for who I was, and do away with this world in which I have no place…

I felt myself lean further over the ship…

"Trying to find some fish?"

I shot straight up and made some sort of yelp at the voice. "Holy crap…", I muttered when I saw that it was Kiame.

Kiame laughed. "Geez, did I scare you again?", she said.

"Uh-huh…", I said.

"You must be thinking too hard… Is something on your mind?"

"No, not really.."

"Ya sure?"

I nodded. "Yeah… So, uh, do you know if we're close or not?"

"I asked one of the crew members earlier, and they said that we were almost there. We'll be seeing it soon, I think."

I looked out to the coast, trying to catch a glimpse of the island from here. Something caught my eye… It looked grey, like smoke..

"Kiame.. Does that look like smoke to you over there?", I asked.

Kiame followed my line of sight. "Yeah.. That looks an awful lot like smoke.. And I see more of them further along.."

We kept looking, trying to figure out what it was. After a while, we could finally see the shoreline of the island. But it wasn't what a typical beach should look like…

"Tsuki! There are soldiers on the beach! And they look…" Kiame didn't finish the sentence, but I completely understood what she was seeing. Dead soldiers littered the shore, their blood slowly being washed away by the relentless waves.

"Captain!"

I heard a splash in the water nearby the ship, and knew that Motochika had jumped overboard.

"Come on, Kiame.", I said, jumping over the side of the ship and landing on my feet in the water. Since Motochika was taller than me and Kiame, we had to swim toward the island for a bit before we could actually walk through the water.

The scene was only worse when we reached the shore; bodies everywhere, men, women, and even children lying dead on the ground, the smell completely engulfing the air around us.

Motochika was standing closer to the carnage, barely moving.

"Motochika..?", Kiame called, walking toward him slowly.

Motochika didn't respond, didn't even look at Kiame when she put her hand on his arm.

He fell to the ground on his knees, his head hung low.

"Motochika…" All Kiame could say was his name, all she could do was be close to him.

He lifted his head to the sky and screamed, his voice burning with sadness and anger, tears rolling down his cheeks. Kiame kept her arms around his shoulders as he screamed his anguished heart out, all signs of her former happiness wiped from her face.

I watched them, unsure of what to do or say to Motochika to cure his agony. I recognized his pain… He screamed like I did, when I lost the one person I loved.. He lost something precious to him, just as I did..

I wasn't happy that he was experiencing this pain.. I felt tears roll down my face, too.. I didn't know Motochika too well, but his screams hurt me, and they really hurt Kiame.. I could see her trying her hardest to fight back tears.

What could I do, to help Motochika in his time of grief? Is this what I was here for? Was this why I went with them? I didn't know, but I would do whatever I could to help Motochika, regardless of what it was..

* * *

His heart felt uneasy as the sun continued to fall to the other side of the earth. He felt an aching, far off pain that he hadn't felt in a long time, but remembered what it was like when he felt it before..

"Why is my heart hurting this way? The one thing that could do that…is gone now.." He looked up to the sky. "Are you toying with me up there? It's starting to get old."

He picked up his scythe and headed out of the camp. "Now that I'm good and angry, I guess I'll have to find someone to vent it off on…"


	4. Chapter 4

The rest of Motochika's men, Kiame, and I scouted the area around us for any signs of survivors or signs of who or what caused this until night came over the island, while Motochika stayed on the shore close to the ship as Kiame told him to. We didn't want him to see anymore of the carnage on the island after his breakdown earlier when we first came.

We actually found some survivors, who were worse for wear, but they were mainly concerned for their lord, and we told them to go visit him near the ship and then go inside to get some rest.

When the moon fully replaced the sun's place in the sky, Kiame and I, along with the rest of the crew, headed back to the Motochika, tired and disappointed at how little we actually found.

"Did you guys find anything?", Motochika asked when we came up, his voice low and not sounding like his usual self.

Kiame shook her head. "No… All we saw was destruction…", she muttered.

"Whoever did this, they were swift and wanted to make sure you didn't know who did it.", I said as calmly as I could.

Motochika's head sunk. I could see his fist clench in frustration. He wanted to take his revenge on whoever destroyed his island, but he needed to find out who actually did this first before he did anything.

"Do you want us to go looking again, Motochika?", Kiame asked.

Motochika didn't lift his gaze from the ground, but shook his head. "No. We're not sure if they are any enemies still out there, and even if not it's still unsafe at night… We'll wait until tomorrow to look again…" He sounded like he wanted to keep searching, but was wise enough to know that it wasn't safe to look in the dark of night.

I felt something tug on my sleeve, and I looked down to see a little girl who we found buried under debris earlier, one of her hands behind her back. I knelt down to her height and gave her hopefully a nice smile. "Hey. Is everything okay?", I asked her.

She hesitated for a minute, as if she wasn't sure if she should say anything, then brought out the hand she had hidden. Clenched in her fist was what looked like a military flag, the clan symbol hidden by her hand.

"What's this?", I asked.

"My mom said that I should hold on to this…to let Lord Chōsokabe know…what happened…", she said quietly, tears beginning to well up in her eyes.

Kiame joined me, and knelt down and hugged the girl tightly. "Oh, thank you, sweetie… This will help out a lot… We really appreciate the help.."

The girl nodded against her shoulder, and started crying. Eventually, she stopped and handed the flag to Kiame, and joined the other villagers inside Motochika's ship.

"Well, this is one clue that we didn't have before.", Kiame said hopefully.

"Whose flag is it?", I asked.

She shrugged. "Let's find out." She held the flag open and held it at full length. It had been torn in battle, but you could clearly see the yellow cloth and black, bold symbol of the Tokugawa emblazoned on it.

Kiame and I looked toward each other, knowing full well how bad this situation was becoming.

While on the way to Shikoku, Motochika had shared stories of him and his past exploits, like how he solely united Shikoku and fought other battles in Japan, and among them were stories of him and Tokugawa Ieyasu being old friends and often fighting alongside each other. They would have friendly competitions, and he never said anything negative about Ieyasu.

This one flag would change that entirely.

"What's wrong, you guys? Whose banner is it?", Motochika asked, sounding slightly impatient.

Almost holding our breaths, Kiame and I headed toward Motochika, the flag slightly folded up so that he wouldn't see the symbol at first glance. "Motochika…", Kiame said, her voice already indicating my exact thoughts on what we found.

"What?"

"…Please, don't try to rush off or do anything until we think this out completely, okay?", she begged.

Motochika looked shocked at her request. "Alright..", he muttered.

She looked to me and nodded, and we held the flag to its full length. The instant his eyes fell on the symbol, they widened and immediately flashed with anger and hurt, and eventually they were full of nothing but wrath and he began to rise from where he sat, his giant anchor already in his hand.

"Motochika!", Kiame exclaimed, trying to stop him.

I grabbed my scythe and stood in his way. "Motochika, stop.", I said.

"Move! That cur has to pay for his crimes!", Motochika screamed, all sense of calm completely gone.

"Motochika, please!", Kiame yelled, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist.

Motochika kept his glare at me, but me and Kiame put together made him stop and actually think his situation over, and he eventually slammed his anchor into the ground next to him, making Kiame flinch. He sat back down on the ground, his head bowed and his shoulders quaking.

Kiame didn't say anything, but she stayed by his side, her hand constantly on his shoulder.

"…What do you think of this?", he asked after a few minutes of silence.

"…I'm not sure if this feels right or not..", Kiame said.

"I agree with Kiame.", I said. "Ieyasu doesn't seem like the type of person to do this. If he is, then he's the biggest hypocrite of all of us."

Motochika didn't say anything, but I could tell by his expression that he thought the same. After some thought, he stood and looked straight to me. "What do you think we should do?"

"You're asking me?", I asked.

"Well, I guess I should get everyone's opinion on what to do in this type of situation, since you two are the ones that kept me calm when I would've gone to kill Ieyasu without finding out the whole story."

"I think, since you two are such good friends, that you should have an audience with him and ask about it.", I said.

"That sounds good, but… Motochika's technically part of the Western Army, so we'll have a hard time convincing them to let us see Ieyasu, even if they are friends.", Kiame said.

"That's true.." I paused a minute to think. "I could go and ask for an audience."

"You?", Motochika asked.

"Well, since I've kept to myself these past few years, I'm probably barely known by anyone, so no one will identify me as part of the Western Army, and I'll be able to get in much easier."

Kiame nodded. "That sounds like a good plan." She looked to Motochika. "We'll head back to Osaka and wait for her to get back. It's a good 5 days ride from Osaka, so it'll be a while before she gets back."

"Hahahaha, it won't take me that long to get to the Eastern main camp.", I laughed.

"What? Isn't it a good ways from Osaka?", she asked.

"Yeah, for you guys who only take public routes or obvious forest trails. For someone like me, who travels through woods for fun, it'll take me about 2 or 3 to get there."

Motochika's face lifted into a small smile, something he hadn't done since we'd first arrived to Shikoku. "I really appreciate you going to the trouble of asking for an audience with Ieyasu. If there's anything I can do to repay-"

"Stop there.", I said, holding up a hand to stop him. I almost laughed at his shocked expression, but continued, "I don't require any payment. I'm doing this for a friend of mine in need."

"Are you sure?", he asked.

I sighed heavily. "Do you really want to reward me?"

"If you'd like."

I smiled. "Stay my friend, no matter what happens."

He didn't reply for a minute, then started laughing. "That's it?"

"You have no idea how much that would mean to me.", I said.

"Very well.", he said, the smile staying on his face.

Suddenly, I felt myself being tackled from the side, and I fell to the ground.

"Ow! What the crap?", I exclaimed as I sat up to see Kiame hugging me tight as she could.

She looked up at me, a big smile on her face. "You were so sweet just now! I didn't think you would ever say anything like that!", she said excitedly, as if she just got the best birthday present of her life.

"Um… Why?", I asked.

"'Cause you're always down and never really talk about stuff like that! It was really sweet!"

I chuckled. "Thanks, I guess.."

I was being honest… The only reward I could ever ask for from people close to me is for them to stay with me forever, no matter what. That was one other thing that I loved about him.. He felt as I did, and asked that I stay close to him, no matter what our relationship with each other was, or what happened to us down the road.

I was tired of losing things, so I would do whatever I could for Kiame and Motochika, even if it meant giving my very life away.

* * *

We returned to Osaka before the night was over, and arrived shortly after morning fully dawned on the land before us. I immediately got myself ready to journey to the Eastern main camp, which was located at Mikatagahara, close to Kai in the east. I bid Motochika and Kiame farewell, and headed out on my horse eastbound.

As I told Kiame and Motochika, I was in Eastern territory in a little over a day, and I caught sight of the castle that served as Ieyasu's main camp shortly afterwards.

The terrain around me was much more mountainous than Osaka; cliffs and crags of rock towered over me and my horse as we rode to the Eastern main camp. As I approached the main gate, I could tell that the castle wasn't nearly as tall as Osaka Castle, but made up for it in length and width.

I stopped my horse before I attempted to go through it, dismounting and leading him toward the gate on foot. I was shortly stopped by two samurai who looked too high in rank to be mere foot soldiers.

"What's your business here?", one asked, his arms crossed across his chest. He wore a blue coat that covered gray armor, and his helmet was decorated by a bold, golden crescent moon over the front of the helmet. Brown hair to his shoulders feathered out underneath his helmet down to his shoulders, bangs just barely covering the eyepatch that concealed his right eye.

The other didn't say anything, but I didn't make the mistake of dismissing him as unimportant. He had black hair that was slicked away from his stern face, the scar just under his cheek only adding to his warrior aura. He stood a few inches taller than the first man, but I could tell from his stance that the first man was his leader in some way and he would await his orders before taking any actions of his own. He wore two katana on his right side, suggesting that he fought using his left hand, which was rare.

"I take it you're Oshu's One Eyed Dragon, Date Masamune, and you're his famous Right Eye, Katakura Kojūrō?", I asked, looking at the man in blue first, and then the other second.

"Yeah, that would be us.", the one in blue, Masamune, said. "Mind telling us who you are?"

"I'd rather not, but if my name makes you happier.. It's Tsukiko.", I said.

"Just Tsukiko? You don't claim a family name?", The other man, Kojūrō, asked.

"I do, but I'd rather not disclose it. It tends to cause unnecessary problems."

Masamune shrugged. "Alright then.. What do you want?"

Would it be alright if I speak with Ieyasu for a moment?", I asked.

Their gazes both narrowed at my request. "Why do you need to see him?", Kojūrō inquired, his eyes pure ice as they tried to see anything suspicious of me.

"I just need to ask him something. I won't be long." I turned to my horse's saddle and unstrapped my scythe. They both tensed up at that, but I held out my hand to make them relax. "I'll give this to you if it makes you feel better." I laid it at their feet, my hand still out in surrender. "That's the only weapon I have on me, and I don't give it out lightly."

"I think she's shown us that she means no harm."

We all turned to the main gate to see a man walk toward us as the gate closed behind him. He wore a friendly smile, was clothed entirely in bright yellow with dark armor, and had bracers covering his fists.

When he reached us, he held out his hand. "I apologize for their behavior, miss.", he said.

I took his hand cautiously, even though I felt as if betrayal wasn't even in his vocabulary. "It's alright. I understand that, in this time of chaos, we all have to be cautious of others."

His smile dimmed. "Yes… But hopefully that time shall pass soon." The smile returned as quickly as it faded away. "But enough of that. I am Tokugawa Ieyasu, as I'm sure you've guessed already. May I ask your name?"

"..Tsukiko.", I said.

Unlike Masamune and Kojūrō, Ieyasu smiled and didn't seem to be bothered by my lack of a family name. "That's a beautiful name!" His smile widened, if that was somehow possible. I found it truly hard to even entertain the thought that this man would slaughter all of Shikoku while Motochika was away.

"If it's alright, Lord Ieyasu,", I began, "I would like to ask you something alone."

"Of course! Follow me.", he said, then turned to Masamune and Kojūrō. "Thank you, both of you, for guarding the gate."

"Yeah, yeah..", Masamune said, his tone sounding like one he'd take with someone who interrupted an important discussion he was having with someone.

Ieyasu led me through the main camp, asking me about my journey and if I was alright. The castle was very open; there were many courtyards and open places where trees freely grew and people stood or sat around, drinking tea or talking and laughing loudly.

"There sure are a lot of people here…", I muttered.

"Most of them came of there own accord… From what they say, I'm much friendlier than Mitsunari.", Ieyasu said, an almost bashful tone in his voice.

"Well, if I'm gonna be honest, they're right… Mitsunari isn't nearly as nice to others as you are..", I said.

"…but?", Ieyasu urged, sensing that I didn't finish my statement.

"…but I do see where he's coming from. And he really does care for other people..just not nearly as many as you do. It's like he's more hesitant with letting others know how he feels, whereas you're more open with your feelings and have a better understanding of people."

He nodded. "That makes sense.. And I do agree with you. I used to be friends with Mitsunari, so I completely understand how you see that.." He looked directly at me. "But by listening to you say it, it seems like you also understand him more than I ever could."

"What do you mean?", I asked.

He smiled, but this time it was a solemn smile. "The way you say it, it's as if you have been or already are in his situation, and therefor fully understand what he's going through."

"…I guess you're right."

It was true that I knew how Mitsunari felt to an extent. All my life, I've had difficulty getting to know others, and sometimes no one would even give me a chance and would brush me off from the start. Even my parents, when I reached a certain age, pushed my feelings away and only thought for themselves. Only one person stood by my side, vowing never to leave me alone and to always be there for me…

"That's me, right?"

I froze. That voice… It sounded different, but… I could recognize that voice anywhere… It couldn't be…

"Is something wrong?", Ieyasu asked, concern evident in his voice.

I shook my head, more to get the crazy thoughts beginning to form in my head out rather than to tell him that nothing was wrong. "Sorry.. Kinda spaced out for a minute there..", I muttered.

He smiled warmly. "You shouldn't push yourself too hard.. Why don't you rest here after you finish talking to me?"

"Thank you, but I really need to make sure I tell my friend of what you say when we're done." I said.

"Alright, if you say so..", he said. He stopped where he was, and I followed suite. We were in a non-populated part of the camp, the voices of other people almost out of hearing range further down where we originally came from.

"What is it that you'd like to ask me?", he began.

"A friend of mine, Chōsokabe Motochika, wanted to ask for an audience with you to discuss some things with you.", I said.

Ieyasu's eyes widened. "Motochika? Aah, I haven't seen him in ages!"

The way Ieyasu was acting, the idea of him destroying Shikoku was starting to dwindle in eligibility in my head.

"Of course I'll see Motochika! He could've come to ask me himself to save the trouble!", Ieyasu continued.

"Well, he didn't want to cause any issues dealing with the drama between you and Mitsunari.", I said.

"Wait… Why would he… Is he part of the Western Army?", Ieyasu asked.

"Not officially, but it has been wavering in his mind."

Ieyasu's face immediately darkened. "….I see.." He looked straight at me. "…Did I do something to him to betray his trust?"

"I'd rather he discuss that with you himself, but I will say that this is very important for the two of you to talk with each other."

"…Of course.", Ieyasu said quietly. "I'll be awaiting Motochika's arrival."

"Thank you.. I'll make sure to get word to Motochika as soon as possible."

"Uh… L-lord I-i-ieyasu…"

Ieyasu and I looked behind us to see a small man shuddering as he stood partially behind a tree's trunk, looking at us fearfully. He was a rather pudgy little man, wore a stag beetle helmet and dressed in tight, red and white clothing.

"What is it, Hideaki?", Ieyasu asked.

"C-c-c-can I sp-sp-speak to that girl?", he stuttered.

Ieyasu looked toward me, a confused look on his face. "If she wishes, but..why?"

"It's alright, Ieyasu. I'll talk with him for a moment.", I said. If the little guy needed me, I'd go to him, but it had to be quick. I had to get to Motochika quickly, before he got impatient and went after Ieyasu.

"Do you want me to go with you?", Ieyasu asked.

I shook my head. "No, I'm fine. Thank you."

Ieyasu nodded once. "Tell Motochika to come whenever he wishes. I shall be waiting for him."

"Thank you again."

His reply was a sad smile, and he walked away, leaving me alone with Hideaki.

"O-okay… F-f-follow me, please..", Hideaki muttered.

As I followed Hideaki, I contemplated what he could possibly want with me. I've never met him before, so it wasn't like he could know me. What did the little guy want?

Hideaki lead me into a secluded courtyard, sitting himself on a bench and not making eye contact with me.

"Alright, what is it that you need from me?", I asked, trying not to sound impatient.

"S-s-s-someone told me to bring you h-h-h-here…", he said.

"Who?", I asked.

"M-m-m-my bodyguard…"

"And who would that be?" Before he could answer, however, I could feel someone approach me from behind, and, thankful that Ieyasu let me keep my scythe with me, I spun around and my scythe clashed with the handle of another weapon. I heard Hideaki scream and scramble away from me and my opponent.

"Well…. You still fight the same way.. I'm glad."

It was that voice from earlier… It HAD to be him… It couldn't be anyone else…

I looked up toward my attacker, my eyes widening when I met his. Long white hair cascaded down, almost past his waist, and his pale face was partially covered with a mask that hid his mouth and nose. His eyes were slender, but I could see an insatiable taste for battle in them, so much so that it sent a shiver down my spine. His weapon was a scythe almost identical to mine, tinted purple and holding sturdy against my own.

"You… Who..are you?!", I yelled, anger and confusion mixed together in my voice.

"Who am I, indeed?", the man asked, leaning as close to me as the deadlock would allow, his face unreadable due to the mask concealing his face.

"That's what I'm asking!" I had a feeling who it was, but…I wanted to make sure. I didn't want to get any sort of childish hope rising only to have it fall again.

"…You should be able to tell me, should you not?", he laughed. He slung his scythe away from mine. "All this time, I haven't known who I was… Tell me, who am I to you?"

I couldn't speak. The voice… The face, even though I couldn't see most of it.. The feel of his scythe against mine…

I held my scythe toward the ground, then let it drop. The man gave me a confused tilt of his head at my actions, but I ignored him as I walked toward him. He didn't make any advances with his scythe toward me, just standing there and waiting to see what I would do.

I finally got close to him, and I lifted my hands to his mask, ready to take it off. He didn't move, and I continued, taking off the mask to reveal his mouth and nose, a gruesome burn mark covering his right cheek and part of his mouth.

"…Mitsuhide…", I whispered, shock almost completely muffled by a sense of relief and happiness I'd never felt in a long time.


	5. Chapter 5

His face lit up into a smile, but not a sadistic one like earlier. This one seemed…lonely.

"Mitsuhide… Did I used to be called that?"

I didn't say anything. What did he mean by that? He couldn't have forgotten what happened…could he?

"If that is how you know me, then what are you called?"

I felt my eyes widen. Maybe he did forget… Maybe his mind washed away any memory of that day away from his mind, leaving him able to cope with what happened better. No… That didn't sound like Mitsuhide.

"…Tsukiko.", I said, trying to hide my confusion and worry from him by keeping my voice neutral.

"Did you abandon your family name?", he asked, just as anyone would, but when he asked…it felt different.

"My original name was stripped from me after my family banished me, and my second name was robbed from me by the 'death' of my husband that I had already presumed dead beforehand."

"Ah, I see." He lifted my downcast face to look into his. "My entire existence was ripped away with the death of someone dear to me as well… Instead of my name, however, that death took my sanity."

"…I'm sorry." I felt a single tear fall from my face. He didn't say for sure that he was Mitsuhide, but I could tell, without his affirmation, that it was him.

"Why are you sorry? Are you assuming that you were the cause of my insanity?"

"Wh-what?", I gasped.

He leaned closer to my face. "How do you know that it was your death that I was talking about? Besides, you're obviously alive, so that makes it less likely that it's you."

"I… I know it is, because you-" He silenced me by placing a finger to my lips.

"Now, now, no need to be so upset. Even if I was talking about you, it's obvious that I'm not who I used to be… This 'Mitsuhide' that you speak of.." He made a slice motion with his hand on his throat. "...is forever dead."

"No! You're Mitsuhide, without a doubt! You're not dead!", I shouted, desperation evident in my voice.

"Oh? Am I now?" His face twisted into a painfully evil smirk. "Prove it to me, then." He poked me lightly on my shoulder, and ran off away from me.

"W-wait!", I yelled, immediately following him, leaving Hideaki behind to cower behind one of the nearby trees.

He twisted and moved swiftly through the camp, turning through as many corners as he could, each time almost making me lose his trail. I wasn't going to let him go, however; I couldn't, not after all these years of pain, misery, guilt, and longing to have him by my side again.

I felt my side burn after much running, and I decided to rest for a moment before pursuing him again. I would prefer to not have to stop, but I didn't want that to interfere in the chase any more than it already was. My breath slowed from ragged gasps to decently steady breaths, and I moved to continue following him, but stopped when I almost ran into him.

He looked over me with a pitiful look. "Aw, what's the matter? Not used to so much running?", he asked mockingly.

I glared up at him. Regardless if this was Mitsuhide, I didn't take for being insulted too well.

I stood up straight, keeping my gaze locked with his. "Why are you doing this? Why did you call me out, only to have me play a game of tag with you?"

He tilted his head to the side. "I only wanted to lighten the heavy atmosphere back there… You made things all awkward and depressing for everyone, so I thought everyone would enjoy a nice game."

"I know better than that. If you are Mitsuhide like I believe, then I know that you wouldn't do something like this without some true purpose."

He didn't say anything at first, but the smile on his face dropped, showing that I was correct. "Do you know what this purpose that you speak of is?"

"I'm guessing it's to test me. For what, I'm not sure of."

He smiled again. "You are right in that sense, but I'm a bit sad that you can't figure the rest out." He held out his hand to stroke my hair. "I wanted to see if I wasn't imagining it… I wanted to know that it was truly you…my wife."

My voice caught in my throat, my heart flared. It was him after all… I had Mitsuhide again, after all these years of thinking of him dead…

I leaned against a nearby wall, knowing that my legs wouldn't be able to hold my weight right then. "I can't believe it… I never would've…" I couldn't even form words for how I felt. I was too stricken with happiness..

"I feel the same. I didn't think that you could've survived what Nobunaga did to you.", he said. "I am glad to see that you've survived, but seeing as you've suffered all of these years because of me only affirms what I should do."

Judging by the look on his face, I could tell that what he would say next wouldn't be something that I'd want to hear. "What is it?"

"You should forget about me."

"Wh-what?"

"You need to distance yourself away from me, wipe any memory of me away from your life."

"…What are you saying?"

He met my gaze directly. "I'm different from how I was before. You've seen it yourself not too long ago… I'm insane, lost to irrationality, and I don't want to cause you pain because of it."

"But… Mitsuhide, I… I can't-"

"You must!" He raised his voice, and I could catch a tint of the madness that he spoke of in his tone. "I've already caused you enough misery as it is, and I haven't even been close enough to touch you. If you stay with me, who knows what-"

"I don't care!", I screamed. "So you're crazy! We're all a little crazy; we have to be, if we want to justify all the deaths and sorrows we cause when we fight for whatever cause! I've lost you once, I don't plan on doing it again!"

Mitsuhide shook his head. "I don't want to lose you a second time either, but this will be better for you.."

"So it'll be better for me to suffer in misery and loneliness rather than be by your side, which I've longed for all these years?!"

"In the long run, yes. Please, Tsuki, don't make this harder than it already is."

"No! Nothing you say will change my mind! I will be by your side for-" My words were drowned out by a cough that brought me to my knees, spilling blood from my mouth onto the ground. I felt my side flaring and burn, and tried without success to stop the coughs that shook my body to the core.

"Tsuki, what is it?", Mitsuhide asked as I felt him kneel beside me.

"It's…nothing… It'll pass…soon.." I tried to push him away, but I barely managed to nudge him with my hand. My vision started to blur, but I tried my hardest to stay awake… I had to…

I felt arms wrap around me and lift me from the ground, holding me close to something warm. "It's alright now. Rest."

I didn't want to, but I felt my eyes start to close against my will. Of all the times for him to start acting truly like himself…Why now?

I felt myself slip into darkness, but before the shadows completely took me over, I felt something press against my lips, and I felt myself relax and allow the shadows to completely take over.

* * *

Yamino Yoruhana rode at the front of her army, victorious after their subjugation of the territory of the past traitor Kuroda Kanbei. Mitsunari had told her to destroy him and bring him to Osaka, so she did just as she was told with little hesitation. Kanbei walked beside her horse, his already bound hands tied to a rope that she held tightly in her hand, his ball and chain that designated his punishment for his past transgression dragging heavily behind them.

The castle was finally in sight. Hana felt her shoulders loosen. She was always more tense when she was away from her lord and home, always afraid that someone would come when she was away, and something terrible would happen while she was away.

"Lady Yamino."

A soldier moved to walk beside her horse. "What is it?", she asked.

"There seems to be something going on at the front gate. A strange man is talking to Lady Chiasa and Lord Chōsokabe, and Lady Chiasa is looking pretty upset."

Hana knew Kiame well enough to know that when she was upset about something, then there was something very wrong. "I'll look into it. Make sure that he gets to Lord Mitsunari without any problems.", she said, handing the rope to the soldier.

"Yes, ma'am!"

She pushed her horse to a gallop toward the front gates, hoping that nothing bad was happening.

When she reached the gate, she found the scene the soldier described to her: a mysterious, sadistic-looking man talking to Kiame and Motochika, Kiame's face lit with anger and frustration. She rode over, placing herself between Kiame and the strange man.

"Who are you, and what are you doing in the middle of Western Army territory?", she asked bluntly.

"Hana!", Kiame called out, her voice temporarily lit up with delight.

The man laughed. "I am no one of consequence, and I've already completed what I've come to do."

"And that would be?", Hana asked.

"To notify Lord Chōsokabe that his audience with Ieyasu has been approved."

Hana turned to look at Motochika. His face was stern and fixed, trying his best to calm Kiame down. "That doesn't seem like all you've done here.", she said as she turned her gaze back toward the man.

"Well… I did also tell them to not worry about their friend Tsukiko."

"I don't care about that! I want to know why she didn't deliver the message herself!"

The man turned his horse away from them, his face unreadable through the mask that covered his mouth and nose. "Then follow me, if you can, and you shall see." With that, he kicked his horse to a gallop and rode off into the nearby forests.

"Wait!", Kiame screamed, but quickly realized that it was too late to stop him. She ran toward the stables, but stopped to look at Hana. "Could you chase him and make sure not to lose him?"

"How will you know where I've gone?", she asked.

"Oh, I know you well enough to know that you'll leave something for me to follow."

Hana wasn't too fond of the female samurai, but she didn't like how upset Kiame was about not knowing where or how she was, and she also didn't want to lose a valuable ally for the Western Army.

She nodded. "Alright. I'll leave a trail for you."

Kiame smiled brightly. "Thanks. C'mon, Motochika!" They both sprinted off toward the stables, leaving Hana to chase after the man that left. She kicked her horse to a gallop, and charged toward where the man had entered the forest.


End file.
